Assistive Technology and
Cognitive Impairments
Presented By:
Therese Willkomm, Ph.D. ATP
Journal of Special Education Technology 19(4) Fall 2004
Gitlow, 2010
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Gitlow, 2010
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Learning disabilities are the most
common disabilities among children (6
to 21 years) served under IDEA.
Disabilities of children and youth
served under IDEA Source: US Dept of
Ed, OSERS (1998) Data: OSEP Data
Analysis Syst25,834 34,101 66,400
68,766 99,638 172,488 447,426 594,025
1,050,975 2,676,299 - 1,000,000
2,000,000 3,000,000 Visual impairment
Autism Orthopedic impairments
Hearing impairments Multiple
disabilities Other impairments
Emotional disturbance Mental
retardation Speech/language
impairments Learning disability
Gitlow, 2010
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Autism or related disorders
 Approximately 1 in every 150 children in the
United States has autism or a closely related
disorder.
 Most rapidly increasing developmental
disability
 CDC, 2009
Gitlow, 2010
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The most prevalent cognitive
consequences: memory,
organization, attention,
concentration, initiation, and task
completion and processing
issues related to neurological
disorders – (Gitlow 2010)
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Memory Aids
April 4, 2010
 Oodles and Oodles of Apps
Outcome Driven
 Reduce reminders that are given by family
members or others
 Get to work, or appointments on time
 Increase accuracy in completing tasks
through – task or cognitive demand
reduction
 Increase independence in self care and
work through prompts.
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Executive Function Impairment
 Can’t remember what to do next
 Difficulty in initiating a task
Prospective Memory Aids
 Auditory Prompts – Beep Beep
 Auditory Prompts with Verbal Messages
 Auditory Prompts with push button
messages
 Auditory Prompts with Visual Messages
 Auditory Prompts with push button text
messages
 Reoccurring reminders
Voice Recognition Prompting
ReQall
 Push Notification to
your Phone
 Push Notification to
your calendar and
another person’s
calendar through
ReQall Sharing
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Tactile Prompts
 Vibrating pager
 Vibrating watch reminder
 Vibrating Cellphone
Visual Prompts
 Color Prompts
 Text Prompts
 Icon Prompts
 Picture Prompts
 Video Prompts
Color Coding
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Different Systems for Different
Environments
 The Bathroom
 The Bedroom
 Downstairs
 Coming and Going
 The workplace
Bookshare; Talking Books; RFB&D
 RFB&D is a national
 Readtogo by
nonprofit with the
Bookshare provides
largest digital textbook
Accessible Books
library of accessible
and Periodicals for
educational materials.
Readers with Print
 RFB&D Audiobooks are
Disabilities
Now Accessible on
Apple iPhone, iPad, and
 Talking Books NH
iPod touch Devices
Assistive Technology for Prospective
Memory Impairments
 Lists
 Visual Prompts
 Memory Books
 Daytimer
 Smartphone
 Tactile Prompts
 Icons
 Associations
 Post it notes
 Color system
 Personal Assistant
 Voice Mail
 MS outlook
 Combo Systems
 Auditory Prompts
 Apps
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Online Reminder Systems
 www.iping.com
 http://www.ontimerx.c
om/index.php
 http://www.remembert
hemilk.com
 http://www.reqall.com/
Auto Shut offs
 Stove power
controller: equipped
to alarm and shut off
a stove after 15, 30 or
60 minute intervals.
 Coffee Pots
 Irons
 Timers on Outlets
 Motion Sensors
 Power Link for
appliances with a
timer set
Locator Devices
 Electronic RF
Locators
 StickNFind Bluetooth
Tags
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